Just touch me with your respect

Since I started working with photography, I have been working with children again and again. My engagement with them also trains my perception of their presence in society. How does society deal with children? How do we respect them as individuals, as the human being who already is and not only becomes? I always notice how often children are instrumentalized. Before it comes to the worst form of abuse, the use of violence against the young life in need of protection and the sexual assault, which is often concealed or played down, there are many gradations of the assaults against a child. Working with children has made me very sensitive. I respect their limits, I put their wishes into practice. In the long-term study Childhood, work together with them to visualize their desires, dreams, fears and hopes. The children determine how they want to present themselves. How they want to be seen. The theme "black/white" fits well to this work. Because there are not only black and white, but always shades of grey and gradations. How there are gradations and grey tones in dealing with children. The impulse came from a post under the photo of a child on Instagram, which read: how beautiful his curls are, I would love to touch them so much. The children say: No, just touch me with your Resepkt. I have chosen shots from various projects in which the children look directly at the viewer. All the pictures are edited in Lightroom color and then saved in black and white.